New composite slab system – lightweight concrete, steel sheeting and reinforcement

Abstract

The construction industry is a vital part of the growth and success of a country. It is responsible for building the physical infrastructure that provides transportation and facilities for citizens, businesses, industries and institutions. Construction has a major influence on the economic wealth, societal well-being and sustainability of the built environment. This paper presents the structural behaviour of new composite concrete slab system with profiled steel sheeting and lightweight concrete fill. The system has potentials to become well accepted by the construction industry due to the many advantages over other types of floor systems. The slab is created by composite interaction between the concrete and steel deck with reinforcement to improve their bending resistant characteristics. Profiled steel deck performs two major functions that act as a permanent formwork during the concrete casting and also as tensile reinforcement after the concrete has hardened. The only additional nominal light mesh reinforcement bars that needs to be provided is to take care of shrinkage and temperature, usually in the form of welded wire fabric. Steel possesses a unique material property unrivalled by other materials in that it can be recycled both up and down the product value chain without degrading its structural strength and other chemical properties. Open loop recycling allows an old structure to be melted down, and then, when is recycled, it is re-melted to produce new appliances, structural beams, cladding and decking. Presented research focuses also on economic parameters of the topic, giving examples for some typical spans, in relationship with transportation needs, technology aspects and estimated time.